Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 12 : The Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council on Sunday rejected allegations made by para archer Rakesh Kumar regarding his alleged exclusion from the recruitment process under SO-12 of 2022, asserting that the athlete had never applied for the advertised posts and, therefore, his candidature was never available for consideration.
J&K Sports Council spokesperson, in a statement issued here, stated, "It has come to the notice that certain statements attributed to Mr Rakesh Kumar, Para Archer, have been circulated through various media platforms alleging that he was unfairly excluded from the selection process for appointment under SO-12 of 2022 governing the appointment of Outstanding Sportspersons. These assertions are factually incorrect and require immediate clarification in the interest of maintaining transparency and public confidence."
"It is categorically stated that, as per the official records maintained by the Department, Mr Rakesh Kumar never submitted an application pursuant to the notification inviting applications for appointment under SO-12 of 2022. Consequently, his candidature was never available for scrutiny or consideration by the duly constituted Scrutiny Committee or Selection Committee," the statement further added.
The J&K Sports Council said the recruitment process under SO-12 of 2022 was conducted transparently and in accordance with the rules. It stated that the General Merit List was published on July 19, 2024, and kept in the public domain for 15 days to allow applicants and stakeholders to raise objections or seek corrections.
According to the Council, Rakesh Kumar did not submit any objection or grievance during this period regarding his alleged exclusion from the merit list.
"The recruitment process was conducted in a transparent and rule-bound manner. Upon scrutiny of all applications received within the prescribed period, the General Merit List was published by the Youth Services & Sports Department, Civil Secretariat, J&K, on 19 July 2024 and placed in the public domain for a period of 15 days, specifically to invite objections, corrections, or grievances from applicants and other stakeholders, the spokesperson said.
"During this objection period, Mr Rakesh Kumar neither submitted any objection nor raised any grievance alleging his exclusion from the General Merit List, despite the Department providing an adequate opportunity to all concerned persons to point out any omission or discrepancy, " it added.
The J&K Sports Council further said Rakesh Kumar approached the department only after the provisional selection list was issued on February 11, seeking inclusion despite not having applied under the original recruitment notification.
The Council added that such a request could not be accepted because recruitment rules require candidates to submit valid applications within the prescribed deadline. It maintained that Kumar's claims of being excluded are not supported by official records, asserting that the issue was one of non-participation in the recruitment process rather than unfair exclusion.
"It was only after the selection process had substantially progressed and the Provisional Selection List was issued on 11 February 2026 that Mr Rakesh Kumar submitted a representation seeking inclusion by way of backdoor entry in the selection process. Such a request could not legally be entertained since he had never applied under the recruitment notification. It is a settled principle of every recruitment process that consideration for appointment is contingent upon submission of a valid application within the prescribed time and in accordance with the notified procedure. A person who has not applied pursuant to the advertisement cannot claim consideration for selection as a matter of right, " the statement reads.
"In these circumstances, the allegations that Mr Rakesh Kumar was 'excluded' from the selection process are wholly unsupported by the official record. The issue is not one of exclusion, but rather of non-participation in the recruitment process, " it added.
The J&K Sports Council acknowledged the contributions of athletes but urged that claims related to recruitment procedures should be supported by facts. It warned that inaccurate statements about a transparent selection process could cause public misunderstanding and affect trust in official institutions.
"The Department & Sports fraternity respects the achievements and contributions of every sportsperson, including distinguished athletes. However, public statements concerning official recruitment processes must be based on accurate and verifiable facts. Dissemination of incorrect information regarding a transparent statutory recruitment process has the potential to mislead the public, create unwarranted confusion, and undermine confidence in institutional processes, the statement further added.
The J&K Sports Council stated that the recruitment process under SO-12 of 2022 was conducted strictly according to rules and reviewed by authorised committees.
It said legal action may be considered against anyone deliberately spreading false or misleading information that could create confusion or disrupt the recruitment process. The department urged stakeholders and the sports community to rely only on official communications and verified records while discussing such matters.
"That the recruitment under SO-12 of 2022 was undertaken strictly in accordance with the applicable Rules, after scrutiny by the competent committees constituted for the purpose. The Department reserves its right to take such action as may be permissible under law against any person found to be knowingly disseminating false or misleading information concerning official proceedings, with the object or effect of causing unwarranted public confusion or obstructing the orderly functioning of the recruitment process. It is once again requested to all stakeholders and members of the sporting fraternity to rely only on official communications and authenticated records while commenting upon matters of public importance, " the statement concluded.